


Better Half

by theimpossiblepossiblegirl



Series: 52 Short Stories in 52 Weeks [40]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 08:24:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8242754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theimpossiblepossiblegirl/pseuds/theimpossiblepossiblegirl
Summary: As their daughter prepares for her first date, John thinks back to when she was little and how much things have changed.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Week forty - A story about a secret.

“Daddy, how come Mummy can’t know we’re having ice cream?” Five-year-old Scarlett questioned her father as she looked up at him with her wide, doe eyes.

“It’s a secret, love.” John crouched down next to his daughter and gave her a grin. “Mummy can’t find out, right?”

“Right.” The little girl turned her head and looked at the names that were displayed on the board. “Daddy, what kind is your favorite?”

He scooped the girl in his arms and stood up so she could see the board better. “Banana. Can’t go wrong with banana ice cream. Do you want peanut butter?”

“Yes.” She nodded her head quickly. “With gummy bears, Daddy. Please?”

He winced slightly, knowing his daughter’s love for sugar rivaled his own. “Just a few.” He told her softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He only hoped she wouldn’t stay up all night. Again.

After getting their treats, John sat down with Scarlett at one of the tables, warning her she needed to be careful and not spill anything. The afternoons he got to spend with his daughter were always his second favorite, very close behind spending time with both of his girls.

“Daddy, how come Mummy doesn’t like ice cream?”

Ah, that was the reason why he should have thought of a better excuse as to why Rose never went with them on their ice cream dates. “I never asked Mummy why.”

“When we go home, I want to ask her.”

John shook his head quickly. “You can’t, Scarlett.”

“Why?”

“It’s a secret. One that Mummy can’t tell anyone.”

“Oh. Like when we get ice cream together?”

“Yes, exactly like that.”

“Oh. Does that mean Mummy not liking ice cream is a secret for me and her?”

“No, love. That’s a secret for just Mummy.”

Scarlett frowned briefly before nodding her head slightly. She may not understand grownups, but her parents were some of the most confusing she knew. “Can we go to the bookstore after this, Daddy?”

“Sure, love. We can look for a new princess book, if you want.”

Her eyes lit up as she gave him a wide grin. “Yes!”

_Eleven years later_

Somewhere along the years, the weekly ice cream dates turned into every two weeks, which eventually lead into once a month. John wasn’t sure when it happened, but his little girl had grown up. She no longer wanted to spend her Saturday afternoon with her father, instead she spent them with her friends. It had been two months since the last time he had taken her out for the Saturday afternoon ritual.

Rose could see something had been bothering him, but couldn’t pinpoint it. She often remarked about how alike the two were, even though the young girl favored her mother as far as looks were concerned. They had barely known what they were doing when they had little Scarlett and now, they were all flourishing. But the one thing Rose did know was that the bond between father and daughter would not break.

Walking over to her husband, she leaned her head against his shoulder as they looked out the window. Scarlett was walking down the path towards the waiting car. Her first date. It was something her parents were both scared and happy for her to be doing.

“She’ll still love you, you know?” Rose assured him. “She’ll always be your little girl.”

“Until she goes off and gets married.”

“Like we did when we turned eighteen?” She commented, slipping her arm around his waist. “Worked out for us.”

He let out a puff of air as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Different circumstances.”

She elbowed him slightly, watching as Scarlett climbed into her date’s car. “Mum told me once that kids are how their parents were at any given age.”

“You’re always telling me that Scarlett is just like me.”

“Most of the time, yeah. But she’s got a good head on her shoulders thanks to the both of us.” She reminded him, turning so she was leaning against the window. “She won’t make the same choices we did.”

John bent his head down and captured her lips in a brief kiss. “We made it, despite everything.”

“And we’ll make sure she makes it.”

John scowled as he watched the car take off and pushed his hands into his pockets. “He didn’t even come to the door.”

Rose held back her smile as she shook her head. If memory served her, John didn’t go to her door to pick her up for their first date either. “Do you want to watch a film? It’ll get your mind off of this.”

“No.”

“You’ll still be able to go on your ice cream dates with her, you know.”

His eyes widened slightly as a faint blush spread over his cheeks. “Knew about that then.”

“Course I did. Though my suspicions weren’t confirmed until one date Scarlett came home and asked me why I didn’t like ice cream.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That I did, but I had told you I didn’t so that you and her could have some time together, just you two. Told her it was a secret that was between her and me.”

He laughed softly, moving so he was leaning against the window with her. “Bet she enjoyed that.”

“She did. That’s when we started going to get our nails done every two weeks too. She didn’t want to have time with just you and her without getting to do something with me.”

“She’s a good kid.”

“Yeah, she is.” Rose leaned her head against his shoulder and let out a sigh. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Thank you.”

“We’ve both had those days.” She shrugged her shoulders slightly. “We get through it together.”

“Forever?”

“Forever.”


End file.
